VEGAN TACOS
Stick to your resolutions with out-of-this-world tacos
It’s been two years since a team of Austin bloggers made vegan tacos go viral.
“The Taco Cleanse” cookbook came out at the end of 2015, but the idea for a monthlong vegan taco challenge came up over margaritas among bloggers a few years earlier. After Wes Allison, Stephanie Bogdanich, Molly R. Frisinger and Jessica Morris started writing about their “taco cleanse,” the idea took off, and they sparked a veritable craze over tacos that are, by virtue of being meat- and cheese-free, healthier than traditional tacos.
“The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life” is a tongue-in-cheek guide that is a fun way to get creative about cleaner eating, something many are trying to do in January to start the new year off on the right foot. Some people use meat substitutes, but not all tacos must feature something that resembles pork, beef or chicken.
We’ve gathered three vegan taco recipes tofu el your monthlong cooking challenge, whatever it might be.
Not all specialty diets allow legumes, but it’s hard to argue
that they aren’t a healthy choice, especially if you’re trying to find lean (and inexpensive) sources of protein. Black beans and butternut squash are a classic pairing, but so are chickpeas and mangoes. The super crunchy tofu tacos require a little prep work to get those delightful cubes crispy, but it’s worth the effort.
A pro-tip from someone who is on a 30-day cooking challenge: You might get tired of tortillas if you decide to take on something similar, so think about your favorite tacos (and these taco recipes) as components that you can break out and use elsewhere. Any of
these taco fillings or slaws would be excellent in a sandwich or
salad, and the sauces could be used as a dressing or veggie dip.
Sweet and zesty, smooth and spicy, these are incredibly flavorful and playful. If you’ve eaten tacos all week and want a change of pace from tortillas or wraps, you could serve the toasted chickpeas on a large bed of salad greens with the tahini sauce as a dressing.
For the toasted chickpeas: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Pinch of salt
For the tahini sauce: ⅓ cup tahini 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt For the mango relish: 1/2 mango, peeled, pitted and cubed 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Pinch of salt
For serving:
Corn tortillas Handful of arugula 1/2 red onion, sliced 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced Red pepper flakes
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the chickpeas and spices and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together all the tahini sauce ingredients along with 1/4 cup water and set
aside. In a separate bowl, mix together all the mango relish ingredients. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over your stove-top burner. Top the tortillas with arugula leaves, toasted chickpeas, mango relish, red onion and avocado slices. Drizzle with tahini sauce, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve. Serves 3.
— From “Power Vegan Meals: HighProtein Plant-Based Recipes for a Stronger, Healthier You” by Maya Sozer (Page Street Publishing), $21.99)